Nurses Float Scholarship Fund

The 2017 Scholarhip Application will become available in the fall.

The Legacy of Bare Root Inc. will live on through the formation of the Nurses' Float Scholarship Fund with funds remaining from the Nurses' Float, which appeared in the 2013 Rose Parade. This endowed national scholarship will be awarded through the Association of California Nurse Leaders (ACNL). Review the Press Release.

One $5,000 scholarship will be awarded annually to a registered nurse pursuing either an ADN to BSN or BSN to MSN degree. Applicants do not need to be a resident of California or a member of ACNL to apply. Deadline to apply is October of the year you are applying. Please consult the ACNL web site for the specific date.

Here is some interesting information about our first round of applicants. We received 38 viable applications. Eighteen applicants were for the ADN to BSN and 18 were for the BSN to MSN degree. One was an ADN to MSN and one entry level to MSN. Candidates were from across the country. Most applicants were from California but we had 16 from out of state. The board of directors of Bare Root Inc. were so pleased and grateful. Again, we thank everyone who contributed to the success of the Nurses' Float and ultimately to the scholarship fund.

First Recipient-2014

Kelly Boone, MSN, RN
Huntington Memorial Hospital, Pasadena, CA

Kelly works in the DOU and her passion is the balance between scientific and holistic care. She is completing her studies as a Family Nurse Practitioner at the UCLA School of Nursing.

Second Receipient-2015
Marlena Montgomery

Third Receipient-2016
Anna Grace Kitabjian, BSN, RN
"I believe my largest contributions to the profession of nursing are what I have invested in my students as a clinical instructor. I won't be around forever, and what lasts is not what I do as a nurse, but the investment I make in other nurses that come after me"

The Story of the Nurses’ Float

On January 1, 2013, Sally Bixby, RN completed her year as President of the Tournament of Roses. Sally was the first nurse to be president of the Rose Parade during its 124 year history and she was only the second woman to hold this prestigious position. A small group of nurses in Southern California saw Sally’s presidency as an opportunity to highlight the profession of nursing on an international stage by designing, building and decorating a Nurses’ Float. From 2007 when they held their first meeting through January 2, 2013 at the post Rose Parade viewing of all the floats, nurses around the country engaged in this exciting and historic project. Over 400,000 dollars was raised supporting a Nurses’ Float entitled “A Healing Place.” The float was beautiful and it touched the hearts of all who saw it. The Nurses’ Float was awarded the Craftsman Trophy which recognizes “outstanding showmanship and dramatic impact over 55 feet in length.”

The contents on this site tell the story in words and pictures. Some of the information is chronological and the rest is just part of the story. Take a look at the pages that interest you and if you are just finding out about the Nurses’ Float you can get an idea of how tremendous this project was. If you were engaged in the project at any level of involvement have a wonderful trip down memory lane.

We are pleased to be able to leave a legacy of the Nurses’ Float through the establishment of a scholarship fund with the money that was left over from the float. Please visit the Scholarship page for more information.

As Sally Bixby, RN President of the Tournament of Roses went ahead of the Nurses' Float, the Nurses sitting along the parade route let her know that they were there enjoying the day watching the first Nurses' Float make history. It was a chilly but beautiful day and the beautiful float touched the hearts of everyone who saw it. On post parade day people told us they came back just to see the Nurses' Float. Thanks again to everyone for giving this dream life!